Difference Between Algae and Protozoa

The majority of people love to get mesmerized by their surroundings. People get awed by the wonders the environment possesses, including versatile living organisms.

/10

Science Quiz

Test your knowledge about topics related to science

1 / 10

Washing soda is the common name for

2 / 10

Name the process by which the human breathes?

3 / 10

Which is the type of food having maximum energy?

4 / 10

After a chemical reaction, the properties of the products are __________.

5 / 10

Which of the following compound is mainly used in hand sanitizer?

6 / 10

A chemical reaction where energy is released is called:

7 / 10

Chemical formula for water is

8 / 10

Balloons are filled with

9 / 10

The substances that enter a chemical reaction are called __________.

10 / 10

Which of the following organism breathes from skin?

Your score is

0%

Two among them are protozoa and algae. Although, these two sets of organisms can be differentiated quickly based on their structure and looks. In this article, we will study how algae differ from protozoa.

Algae vs. Protozoa

The difference between algae and protozoa is that algae are non-flowering, small, aquatic plants with a green pigment called chlorophyll. They lack roots, true stems, vascular systems, and leaves. In contrast, protozoa are prokaryotic organisms belonging to the Protista kingdom. The cell wall of algae is made up of a substance called cellulose. In contrast, the cell wall is absent in protozoa.

Algae vs Protozoa

Want to save this article for later? Click the heart in the bottom right corner to save to your own articles box!

The cell wall of algae is made up of a substance called cellulose. The spore is the resting unit of algae. Some examples of algae are cyanobacteria, brown algae, Seaweeds, red algae, and green algae.

Protozoa are prokaryotic organisms, i.e., single-celled animals. Protozoa are prokaryotic organisms belonging to the Protista kingdom. Protozoa are organisms possessing animal-like characteristics.

Comparison Table

Parameters of ComparisonAlgaeProtozoa
CellsMulticellular/Eukaryotic; some are single-celled too.Single-celled/Prokaryotic; some are multicellular too.
DefinitionAlgae are non-flowering, small, aquatic plants with a green pigment called chlorophyll. They lack roots, actual stems, vascular systems, and leaves.Protozoa are prokaryotic organisms belonging to the Protista kingdom.
CharacteristicsAlgae are organisms possessing plant-like characteristics.Protozoa are organisms possessing animal-like characteristics.
Method Of obtaining EnergyAlgae make their food. Hence they are autotrophs. Protozoa are not capable of making their food. Hence they are heterotrophs.
SignificancePhotosynthesisPhagocytosis
ChlorophyllChlorophyll is present.Chlorophyll is absent.
Cell WallThe cell wall of algae is made up of a substance called cellulose.The cell wall is absent.
Resting UnitSporecyst
ExamplesCyanobacteria, brown algae, Seaweeds, red algae, green algae. Euglena, Amoeba, Entamoeba histolytica, Paramecium, Leishmania.
In humansAlgae produce toxic chemicals which are hazardous to humans.Protozoa are capable of causing diseases in humans, such as malaria, by plasmodium.
ImportanceAlgae produce around 70% of oxygen in the atmosphere.Most aquatic food chains depend upon protozoa as their foundation.

What is Algae?

Algae are generally microscopic which are unicellular. These types of unicellular Protozoa are called microalgae. In contrast, the types of multicellular protozoa are called macroalgae.

Algae are multicellular organisms or eukaryotic organisms. Algae are non-flowering, tiny aquatic plants with a green pigment called chlorophyll. They lack roots, actual stems, vascular systems, and leaves.

Algae

What is Protozoa?

Protozoa are generally free-living organisms. However, sometimes they infect higher-order animals as well. As they lack a cell wall, thus they possess a variety of shapes.

Chlorophyll is absent in protozoa. The cell wall is absent in protozoa. A cyst is the resting unit of protozoa. Some examples of protozoa are Euglena, Amoeba, Entamoeba histolytica, Paramecium, and Leishmania. Some protozoa are capable of causing diseases in humans, such as malaria by plasmodium.

Main Differences Between Algae and Protozoa

  1. Algae produce toxic chemicals which are hazardous to humans. At the same time, some protozoa are capable of causing diseases in humans, such as malaria by plasmodium.
  2. Algae produce around 70% of oxygen in the atmosphere. At the same time, most aquatic food chains depend upon protozoa as their foundation.
Difference Between Algae and Protozoa
References
  1. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.mi.10.100156.001515
  2. https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.mi.12.100158.001431
One request?

I’ve put so much effort writing this blog post to provide value to you. It’ll be very helpful for me, if you consider sharing it on social media or with your friends/family. SHARING IS ♥️

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *